FY 2016 Appropriation

The Department of Corrections is the adult correctional authority for the State of Utah. The department's primary mission is to protect the public. The mission statement of the department reads as follows:

"Our dedicated team of professionals ensures public safety by effectively managing offenders while maintaining close collaboration with partner agencies and the community. Our team is devoted to providing maximum opportunities for offenders to make lasting changes through accountability, treatment, education and positive reinforcement within a safe environment..."

Funding History

Funding Issues

Jail Contracting Growth

Funding would accommodate projected state inmate population growth for FY 2016.

Manual Claim Processing

According to the legislative audit "The Department currently devotes approximately $89,000 in resources to manually process medical claims…. Studies show that manual entry generally has around a two percent error rate, in addition to potential risks that accompany an unmonitored contract. Therefore, approximately $140,000 of offsite medical claims had an error, assuming two percent of the claims had data entry errors. While this does not necessarily represent over- or underpayments, we are concerned that the errors likely occurred."

New Gunnison Pod Operations

Funding would allow for staff to operate the projected finsished pod at the Gunnison.

New Gunnison Pod Operations Delay

A new pod for the Gunnison prison was funded during the 2014 General Session. However, no funding was provided for staff to operation the facility when the pod construction is finished presumably in 2017. This specifc amount reflects the delay start time in FY 2016.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $317,599,700 from all sources for Corrections. This is a 2 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $282,567,200 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 7.6 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Capital Projects Fund$0$1,954,300
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$1,954,300Capital Projects Fund
No Description
Correctional Staff Compensation$2,151,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$2,151,000$0General Fund
This increase reflects a 1.2% increase for correctional officers and staff. The Department of Corrections reports that this will aid in competetive compensation compared to county correctional officer compensation.
Corrections Salary Adjustment$145,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$145,000$0General Fund
No Description
Gunnison Prison Operation Costs (minus $4.9 M 1x)$8,000,000 ($4,900,000)
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$8,000,000$0General Fund
$0 ($4,900,000)General Fund, One-time
This funding reflects the costs for additional staff to operate the new pod at Gunnison projected in FY 2016.
HB0319 - Jail Contracting Treatment Rate$438,000$250,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$438,000$0General Fund
$0$250,000General Fund, One-time
Funding would increase the rate the curent amount of treatment beds are funded.
Jail Contracting Growth$1,208,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$1,208,000$0General Fund
No Description
Jail Contracting Rate$0$1,000,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$1,000,000General Fund, One-time
No Description
Justice Reinvestment Initiative$6,036,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$6,036,000$0General Fund
Over the past 18 months, leaders in state government collaborated with the Pew Charitable Trusts Public Safety Performance Project and the U.S. Department of Justice to examine and find solutions to Utah's recidivism rate and growing prison population. The Justice Reinvestment Initiative is the broad project to begin implementation of key recommendations from the study. Funding is provided for the Department of Corrections, Board of Pardons and Parole, Governor's Office (Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice); additional funding is provided for the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
Medical Line Item Shortfall$0$500,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$500,000General Fund, One-time
No Description
Nonlapsing Balance Transfer$0$1,600,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0 ($500,000)General Fund, One-time
$0$2,100,000Closing Nonlapsing
No Description
Realize 14.5% from Audits ($627,900)$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
($627,900)$0General Fund
No Description
Replace Cut Funding w/ General Fund$482,900$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$482,900$0General Fund
No Description

The information below shows the current prison population count and trend for the past fiscal year.

Corrections Population Count

The Department reports the following performance information Overall performance.

The following are performance measures tracked within this organization.

Statute

The Department of Corrections is governed largely by Section 64 of the Utah Code Annotated.

  • UCA 64-13-2 creates the Utah Department of Corrections and grants it authority;
  • UCA 64-13-6 outlines the department's duties including protecting the public through institutional care and confinement, and supervision of certain offenders within the community.

The Utah Department of Corrections houses approximately 6,900 inmates in 30 facilities. The majority of inmates are housed at two locations: the Draper and Gunnison prisons. The Division of Institutional Operations manages the inmate population in the secure facilities. In addition, inmates are housed in county jails in approximately 21 of Utah's 29 counties on a contractual basis (see Jail Contracting).

In addition to housing state inmates, the department develops and provides programs in order to manage the convicted offender's inappropriate behavior. Programs are designed to prepare and assist offenders in functioning as law-abiding citizens.

Once an inmate is released from prison, or if a person is sentenced to probation, they come under the responsibility of Adult Probation and Parole. The Adult Probation and Parole Division operates facilities throughout the state to supervise assigned parolees and probationers as they transition to the community.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 15

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that the appropriations for the Utah Department of Corrections - Programs and Operations in item 27 of chapter 14, Laws of Utah 2014 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015.

HB0003: Item 15

The Legislature intends that, if the Department of Corrections is able to reallocate resources internally to fund additional Adult Probation and Parole agents, for every two agents hired, the Legislature grants authority to purchase one vehicle with Department funds.

HB0003: Item 16

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that the appropriations for the Utah Department of Corrections - Medical Services in item 28 of chapter 14, Laws of Utah 2014 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015.

HB0003: Item 17

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that the appropriations for the Utah Department of Corrections - Jail Contracting in item 29 of chapter 14, Laws of Utah 2014 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015.

HB0003: Item 142

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that the appropriations for the Utah Department of Corrections - Utah Correctional Industries in item 43 of chapter 14, Laws of Utah 2014 not lapse at the close of Fiscal Year 2015.

SB0002: Item 13

The Legislature intends that, if the Department of Corrections is able to reallocate resources internally to fund additional Adult Probation and Parole agents, for every two agents hired, the Legislature grants authority to purchase one vehicle with Department funds.

SB0002: Item 13

The Legislature grants authority to the Department of Corrections to purchase up to 22 vehicles for new staff to implement the Justice Reinvestment Initiative.

SB0002: Item 14

Under Section 64-13e-105 the Legislature intends that the final state daily incarceration rate be set at $67.59 for FY 2016.

SB0003: Item 1

Notwithstanding intent language in Item 150, House Bill 3, 2015 General Session, the Legislature intends that the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) transfer $960,700 from the Capital Projects Fund to the Department of Corrections (UDC) to be used in the following manner: (1) $190,700 for equipment and furnishings for the new 192 bed Gunnison pod, and (2) $770,000 for the purchase of vehicles. This funding comes from surplus money that was transferred from UDC to DFCM in previous years for the retrofit of the Fortitude Parole Violator Center.

SB0003: Item 1

The Legislature intends that the Division of Facilities and Construction Management transfer $993,600 from the Capital Projects Fund to the Department of Corrections - Programs and Operations to be held by the Department of Corrections until such time as needed to help purchase a new prison site. This funding comes from surplus money that was transferred from Corrections to DFCM in previous years for the retrofit of the Fortitude Parole Violator Center.

Departmental funding consists primarily of General Fund money with a small percentage of Federal Funds. Dedicated Credits Revenue is mainly generated by Utah Correctional Industries, a for-profit business that teaches inmates new job skills while operating for-profit businesses.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.